The 2014 Pope County budget, totaling some $8.8 million, was approved by a vote of 9-4 on Dec. 10. That is about $640,000 more, or an 8 percent increase, in appropriated funds from 2013 to 2014, not including things that will be approved at a later date from the General fund.

I cast a no vote for the budget for three basic reasons. The court decided to use Surplus Investment money (the rainy day fund) to prop up the shortfall in available revenue in the operating budget. This is money set aside for unexpected expenses and is not operational money.

I have always been against using this money for operational purposes. Once it is spent and depleted, we will no longer have it to fall back on if needed. At the beginning of 2013 there was an approximate balance of $1.2 million in Surplus Investment. It has already been spent down this year to roughly $996,000 to buy vehicles and a new phone system for the Sheriff’s Department, along with other expenses. The court is using an additional $150,000 to give the 3 percent raise (which will be an ongoing expense).

If we start the year with roughly $200,000 available in General for operational money (which comes from the Surplus) in 2014, that only leaves some $550,000 in the fund down from $1.2 million just a year ago. Gov. Beebe was against doing this same type of thing when this issue came up at the state level.

Secondly, the court chose to use $380,000 in PILT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) grant funds for anticipated revenue. In the past this grant money has been given to the school systems in the county even though it was intended to be put in the General Fund by the Federal Government.

There is some concern that these funds will be cut by the Federal Government this year. That is yet to be seen but in the event that happens, the court would have to take an additional $380,000 out of the reserve to cover those anticipated revenues that were appropriated, leaving only about $170,000 in the fund to use for county expenses and or emergencies. This is taking into consideration that the Dover and Hector school districts will not get any of that money this year.

Fortunately, our sales tax revenues have been holding up well after tapering off for a while but we are not leaving the county much room for error! I don’t believe the noble idea of giving a 3 percent raise to county employees really benefited the people it was intended to help! When you look at the pay rates of employees vs. county elected officials, the employees ended up with the short end of the stick.

For example, the Judge will receive $1,871 in a raise, from $62,361 to $64,232. The Sheriff will receive $1,744 in a raise, from $58,150 to $59,895 and courthouse officials (County Clerk, Circuit Clerk, Collector, etc.) will receive a $1,423 raise, from $47,434 to $48,857.

While the average county employee making between $25,000-30,000 a year will only receive $750-$900. Those employees who needed the raises the most received the least and the elected officials who need the raise the least benefited the most! This is always the case when an across-the-board raise is enacted and thus, why I don’t believe we should be raising the pay level of any elected officials in mid-term.

When someone runs for office they know beforehand what the job pays and for how long. I suggested and supported giving everyone (including elected officials) a one-time stipend of $600-$700 which would have been a one-time expense and cost the county about half of what the raise did. It would not have attached a permanent increase in our future expenses.

I supported taking that money from the surplus in order to give the employees an immediate check in 2013 to use this year for Christmas and then wait to see how next year pans out. Unfortunately, the employees will only see a small amount in each check now after taxes throughout the year.

I wonder if anyone in Pope County has been watching what Yell County has done with their budget this year? Check it out you might be very surprised!! I hope we are not forced to do things in 2014 we don’t really want to do instead of making smart choices while we still can!